Liverpool do not have an agreement in place to sign Alexandre Pato, Corinthians president Roberto de Andrade has been quoted as saying by Brazilian media. Pato, who left AC Milan to return to his native Brazil in 2013, is currently on loan at Sao Paulo but recently revealed the club have told him they are not capable of signing him on a permanent deal.

The forward has been frequently linked with a return to one of the continent's major leagues and claimed in the final days of the summer transfer window Manchester United had made enquiries into his availability. Tottenham were also said to be interested when Globo Esporte claimed the player's agent Giuliano Bertolucci was trying to force through a move to White Hart Lane, having travelled to London for talks with the Premier League side.

Liverpool have now emerged as the favourites to sign the 26-year-old after Corinthians president de Andrade was quoted as saying by Tutto Mercato Web the Premier League side have an "agreement in principle" to sign the player in January.

But speaking to Brazilian media, De Andrade has refuted those claims. Globo Esporte claim the Corinthians president has told them there have been no negotiations with Liverpool, before telling SporTV: "Corinthians have received nothing. Nothing concrete has arrived."

Pato was frequently criticised during his season at Corinthians and his parent club have shown their willingness to cash in on the Brazil international should his release clause of £17.8m (€25m, $27.5m) be met. "At the moment there are only enquiries," deputy director of football Eduardo Ferreira told Globo Esporte in October. "But if a club comes in with an offer of €25m we will let him go, otherwise he will return [in January]."